Three years ago, on April 19, 2019, Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris was engulfed in flames, which left it gutted, and orphaned from its famous spire. Since then, renovations have been put in place, and the building should reopen to the public in 2024.
To wait while waiting for this event, here is a selection, from the exhibition to the documentary via the comic strip, to immerse yourself in the incredible history of this monument known throughout the world.
A comic book: Viollet-le-Duc, the man who resuscitated Notre-Dame
If the question of whether to restore the cathedral after its fire did not even arise, it was quite different in the middle of the 19th century. At that time, when the French Revolution inflicted many outrages on religious buildings – by destroying them, transforming them into prisons or storage places after being looted – the preservation of heritage did not exist.
For architects, historians and politicians, Gothic art recalls a Middle Ages that was then considered barbaric, and the idea of the destruction of Notre-Dame, already in very bad shape, gained ground. But under the impetus of Prosper Mérimée, the rehabilitation of the monuments that dot the country will finally become a reality. And it is up to the young self-taught draftsman and architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc to lead his projects. After having “done his hand” on numerous construction sites, it is to him that the honor falls of restoring Notre-Dame de Paris to its former glory.
In this biographical album by Salva Rubio (screenplay and dialogues) and Eduardo Ocana (drawing), which mixes private and political life under the Restoration, we follow all the efforts, architectural discoveries and… additions to the original plans deployed by Viollet-le-Duc to definitively save, in May 1864, the cathedral of Parisians.
Builders – Viollet-le-Duc, S.Rubio and E.Ocana, 72p., Delcourt.
An album: Easter at Notre-Dame
Easter, the most important day of celebration for Christians – it symbolizes the resurrection of Jesus – remains tinged with sadness for the Parisian faithful. 3 years ago, on April 15, 2019, the ashes had replaced the crowd that had come to the cathedral the day before to celebrate Palm Sunday, and the crackling of the flames made us forget the voices of the Maîtrise de Notre-Dame who were singing the music. sacred. If the spire, just like the huge rose window, are inseparable from the monument, the chants – accompanied by the organ which could be saved – are just as much.
While Easter will be celebrated this year on Sunday April 17, the Maîtrise Notre-Dame de Paris offers to discover in its disc dedicated to Holy Week six centuries of music, for a repertoire from all over Europe. Initially scheduled to be recorded in 2019, it was only two years later that the Choir, conducted by Henri Chalet and accompanied by organist Yves Castagnet, was able to bear witness to this 800-year-old choral tradition.
Monteverdi, Lotti, César Franck or, more recently, Maurice Duruflé or Lise Borel are all composers whose works appear on this album of more than an hour. This is the second opus dedicated to Notre-Dame, after the one published in 2020, “Cathedrale of emotions”, telling the musical history of the place.
Easter at Notre-Dame, Maîtrise Notre-Dame de Paris, dir. Henri Chalet, Yves Castagnet at the organ, Warner Classics.
An exhibition: Stabat Mater at the Bernardins
Until July 17, the Collège des Bernardins offers several events around Notre-Dame de Paris, with free access. After two first Opus, “Tempus Fugit” and “Lux in Tenebris”, the institution pursues its objective of opening to the general public, through a third edition: “Stabat Mater”.
Among the highlights, a virtual reality exhibition, free to access, fun and intended for all ages, retracing the centuries of history of the monument, from the first stones until now. On May 14 and 15, the mythical cathedral will be on screen with works by Jean Delannoy, Woody Allen and Jean-Jacques Annaud. On May 21 and 22, a music weekend will be organised. We will find in particular the Arnold trio, Jean-Paul Gasparian, Maîtrise Notre-Dame de Paris, Trio Zadig, Jodyline Gallavardin, Quatuor Mona, Abdel Raman El Bacha… Finally, on June 11 and 12, literature will be in the spotlight, with a complete reading of Notre-Dame de Paris, by Victor Hugo. More generally, cycles of conferences and workshops for young audiences will be organized every Wednesday.
“Stabat Mater”, at the College of Bernardins, Paris 5th. Free access.
A virtual reality experience: eternal Notre-Dame at La Défense
The “Eternal Notre-Dame” virtual reality experience is open to everyone at the Espace Grande Arche in La Défense. IIt’s impossible not to be amazed after this experience, which is fun, rewarding and moving. Equipped with a helmet VR as well as a backpack equipped with a computer, visitors are directly immersed in the history of Notre Dame de Parissince its construction thanks to Age up to current restoration site. Above the Rediscovering the building, which had already been closed for three years, is a real dive into time. Accompanied by a virtual guide, you will be able to walk through the streets of the time, follow the different stages of construction, discover the characters who have marked the history of the place, climb in places prohibited to the public… All without ever feeling lost. Indeed, the device, a real technological challenge, makes it possible to move around in real space in complete safety. Finally, some moments are particularly moving, such as the mass of homage to the victims of the attacks of 2015, or the fire of the building.
Before taking part in this experience, visitors can also browse 500m2 squares dedicated to the cathedral. A first space organized by the public establishment, will offer a dive into the site, the discovery of the main operations and trades. The second, designed by the diocesan association of Paris, will present elements of the heritage of the cathedral: statues, paintings, pieces ofgoldsmiths and liturgical vestments.
“Eternal Notre-Dame”, until September 2022 at the Espace Grande Arche in La Défense, 92800 Puteaux. Prices : from 20 to 30 €.
a film: Notre-Dame burns
© David Koskas
This brilliantly directed film by Jean-Jacques Annaud recreates hour by hour the unfolding of the tragic fire, from the first alert, given during the 6 p.m. mass by the recently hired security system guard, until the early morning of April 16. By sticking as closely as possible to reality, it strives to show how this world-famous monument, symbol of Christianity, was saved thanks to the police, the conservators, and above all, the courage and tenacity of the firefighters.
The 78-year-old filmmaker recalls that the means were weak, but the determination of these men and women on the ground, immense. With a budget of 30 million euros, this film, which uses the latest Imax and Dolby Atmos technologies, mixes amateur videos taken the evening of the tragedy, spectacular fire scenes shot in the studio and images from different French religious buildings, including the cathedral of Amiens, Bourges, and the basilica of Saint-Denis.
The feature film produced by Jérôme Seydoux is carried by sublime sets reconstructed identically, such as the four bells of the belfry, and the status of the Virgin “Our Lady of the pillar”, and is accompanied by an excellent cast. This is notably made up of Samuel Labarthe, who embodies General Gontier, in charge of rescue operations, or Jean-Paul Bordes, who plays General Gallet, ex-commander of the fire brigade of Paris.
Notre-Dame is burning, by Jean-Jacques Annaud, 1h50, in theaters.